See photos of the North American TRI-COUNTY International Auto Show at tctimes.com 21A Sunday, January 25, 2015 www.tctimes.com Don’t forget about insurance when buying a new car uSafety, and likelihood of theft, are key insurance factors to consider with new car purchase By Sally Rummel [email protected]; 810-629-8282 If you’re in the market for a new car, your budget needs to include not only the vehicle, but also the insurance policy that the state of Michigan requires before you can drive it off the dealership lot. Your rate of insurance is influenced by many factors, but one of them is the ve- hicle itself. Own- Summary ing a vehicle with uIt pays to shop a high safety rat- around for the best ing means there insurance prices, is a lower risk for based not only on the vehicle you’re buying needing to pay but also personal for medical bills factors about where for yourself or you live, and your your passengers, driving record, etc. so your rate will be lower, accord- ing to the Department of Motor Vehicles website, dmv.org. Owning a car with a rates. The higher coverage translates to a lower safety rate will have the opposite higher premium for a newer car. effect. Likelihood of theft is another when MOST ASK THE “The cars that are the best to insure choosing insurance coverage. Some cars STOLEN are the ones that have the most safety are more attractive to thieves than others MECHANIC features,” said Teresa Mills, customer are and a car model listed on the Top 10 of VEHICLES Chris Wilkinson, service representative for Brad Hoffman most stolen vehicles is likely to come with 10Last year, approximately 700,000 ve- Certified Mechanic Insurance in Fenton. “The ones that a higher insurance rate than a less likely hicles were stolen in the U.S., compared are harder to insure are those that are target. Having a car alarm or other anti- to 1,661,738 in 1991. These figures I noticed that when I drive smaller, less expensive and have more theft device can help lower the premium. are continuing to decline, according to Q: through mud puddles in accidents because they are often driven In addition to car features, your own statistics from the National Insurance my car that my engine sounds by a younger driver.” personal driving habits, Crime Bureau. The much larger major- louder. Should I be concerned The safety rating is gender and age, marital ity of stolen cars are older cars from about this? based on several factors, status, where you live, the 1990s before anti-theft technology including the car owner’s The cars your insurance score became standard equipment. First thing, I hope you aren’t likelihood of getting into that are best to (based on information The Honda Accord continues to be the A: an accident and how likely ‘‘insure are the from your credit report), most stolen car in the U.S., with 53,995 going through the mud a passenger is to be injured profession, how often reported stolen in 2013. The most stolen puddles very fast. This can cause in an accident. Safety ones that have you drive impact your car are from 1990-1997 model years. water to go into the intake and hydro features such as airbags, the most safety insurance. If you’re driving a new car off the lot, lock the engine causing severe automatic seatbelts and Many people with past here are the late-model vehicles that damage. It could be that water is traction control all contrib- features. financial issues or a poor have attracted the most thieves. getting into the fan or on the belt area ute to safety and accident Teresa Mills driving record may be 1. Nissan Altima and causing the extra noise. One prevention. Brad Hoffman Insurance’’ interested in learning a 2. Ford Fusion more possibility is an exhaust leak Size matters with in- little-known fact about 3. Ford pickup full-size that may sound louder over water 4. Toyota Corolla surance, too. Larger cars car insurance. “One of than other road surfaces. 5. Chevrolet Impala are generally safer than smaller cars in the questions we ask prospective clients 6. Hyundai Elantra an accident. However, cars with larger is who resides in their household with 7. Dodge Charger Do you have a question that you engines relative to body size tend to have them,” said Kristen Short, owner of The 8. Chevrolet Malibu would like to have answered? higher rates, i.e., a sports car with a V8 Steelman Agency in Linden, a locally E-mail it to me at: 9. Chevrolet Cruze [email protected] engine costs more than a small car with owned AAA office. “At AAA, we’ll use 10. Ford Focus a V4 engine. the highest insurance score of anyone in The age of the car also counts. Though that household, as long as we can docu- Safest 2015 vehicles NEW LOCATION! NOW LOCATED AT These vehicles earned the highest 605 N. SAGINAW the repair costs of an older vehicle are ment that they are insured. This can be HOLLY, MI similar to the costs of a newer vehicle, really helpful to some people, and it’s possible rating in crash worthiness NEXT TO CARQUEST testing through the Insurance Institute AUTO PARTS an older car is more likely to be “totaled” one of our unique features as an agency.” (NORTH OF OUR for Highway Safety: OLD LOCATION) in an accident. This is because the cost 1. Hyundai Genesis of significant repairs needed for an older 2. Subaru Impreza WRX 248-634-5730 car can often be higher than the vehicle’s View all stories 3. Hyundai Sonata www.wilkinsonautorepair.com entire worth. online at 4. Volkswagon Golf/GTI Hours: Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm, Sat: 9am-3pm Newer cars are not considered to be 5. Chrysler 200 “totaled” as often as older cars, and gener- tctimes.com 6. Subaru Legacy (and Outback) Check our website ally have much higher collision coverage 7. Hyundai Genesis and coupon ads for specials. 22A Sunday, January 25, 2015 TRI-COUNTY www.tctimes.com Class C motorhomes A cross between class As and class Taking it on ‘the open road’ Bs, class C motorhomes are popular for summer trips, as they are easy units to uRV travel offers flexibility torhome, there are actually many types Cost: $60,000 for a basic model to rent. They are generally easy to drive, of RVs to suit just about every family’s custom motorhomes with a price tag of with enough room for a family to sleep. and an economical way to travel goal and budget. more than $1 million. The C class can range from 20 to 40 feet. vacation There are many RVs to choose from, Cost: $50,000 to $80,000 for a standard including: Class B motorhomes model and $85,000 to $145,000 for a By Sally Rummel More commonly known as camper luxury model. [email protected]; 810-629-8282 Class A motorhomes vans, these offer many of the features Spring and summer are still a few This is what people often think of when and craftsmanship of Class A models, in Travel trailers months away, but it’s not too early to be- they use the term “motorhomes” — it’s a smaller, more maneuverable package. A big advantage of travel trailers is that gin planning for the call of the open road. like a house on wheels with just about any Using a full-size van as its foundation, a their lightweight but sturdy construction The recreational vehicle (RV) market amenity you could imagine, and is ideal Class B motorhome can provide many makes them towable by standard pickup grew steadily in 2014 and is expected for long distance travel and a sizeable of the comforts of home, but more ideal trucks, SUVs and even some minivans. to continue its growth and popularity family. Many include living rooms, com- for two to three travelers and multi-week in 2015, according to the Recreational plete kitchens and baths, even a washer trips. Ranging in size from mini “teardrop” Vehicle Industry Association. and dryer. There may even be room for Cost: $40,000 to $80,000 for standard units of about 12 feet, to 33-foot triple While the term “recreational vehicle” a master bedroom with a queen-size bed model to $90,000 to $125,000 for luxury axle giants, they offer many designer- often calls to mind a luxurious mo- and plenty of closet space. model. grade interiors, and can sleep up to six. Its big advantage is that you can leave it at a campsite and take the tow vehicle out to explore your destination. Cost: $7,000 to $70,000, depending on amenities. Fifth-wheel trailer This RV gets its name from the large Class A Class B Class C hitch pin that attaches the trailer to a special mount in the bed of a heavy-duty pickup truck. This makes it more stable to pull than a comparably sized travel trailer. It’s also easier to back up into a campsite than a conventional travel trailer. Ranging BIG SAVINGS AT HALL in size from 18 to 40 feet long, a fifth- wheel is excellent for long distance travel including mountain roads. Cost: $15,000 to $50,000 for a stan- dard model and $50,000 to $150,000 for a luxury model. Pop-up trailer At the opposite end of the spectrum from class A motorhomes is a pop-up or folding trailer.